JVP leads protest march in Colombo against aid deal

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 June 2005, 12:14 GMT]More than 10,000 supporters of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), extreme nationalist ruling coalition ally, participated in a protest Campaign against the Joint mechanism (JM) proposal today Tuesday at 2.00pm, sources in Colombo said. The march started from Borella Campel Grounds, passed through Maradana and ended near the Colombo Municipal Council offices. The protesters after shouting slogans against the aid deal proposal continued their march to the Lipton round about where they dispersed.

Buddhist monks participating in protest march organized by the JVP

JVP parliamentary group leader and party propaganda Secretary, Wimal Weerawansa, led the protest. JVP Ministers, Deputy ministers, and parliamentarians, also took part in the protest, sources said.

JVP leader Somawansa Amerasinghe did not take part.

"The Country needs a government to defeat separatism, not to nourish it," and "We will agitate the president for her resignation," were two of the slogans used by the protesters during march.

For nearly four hours the main roads including Base Line Highways road, and all main roads in Maradana 2nd division, Union place, and Colombo-7 were closed.

Over thousand police and Army officers were on the duty for the security of York street and Olcot street. Sri Lanka telecom junction was closed to prevent protesters from entering the President's House, sources said.

Organizers said there will be public a meeting at Lipton's Roundabout Tuesday night to rally more support for voicing protest against the Joint Mechanism proposal.